Our little chis are honestly one of the cutest dog breeds that melt your heart. Not that other breeds are any lesser, but Chihuahuas are an entirely different game.
Despite their tiny stature, they have large personalities. They are bold and stubborn and don’t consider themselves any less strong than large breed dogs.
In our house, Charlie (our 6-pound chi) is the one who tries to boss around Oscar (a full grown Labrador who is more than thrice his size.)
But it doesn’t mean that Chihuahuas are inherently aggressive; how they respond to situations and the habits they develop largely depends on how you train them.
There are times when we unconsciously encourage aggressive behaviors, particularly in small dogs because we treat them differently than our large breeds. However, if you have a pup who has aggression issues or want to prevent these unwanted behaviors in your chi, here are six useful techniques that will help you manage this trait:
The Don’ts of Dealing with Chi Aggression
So usually I begin with offering suggestions but with problems such as aggression, the mistakes you may make while acting out in frustration can worsen your chi’s behavior.
Of course, the responsibility of a new canine member in the house can be overwhelming and that coupled with a snapping and growling dog can be quite challenging since you weren’t expecting it- but remember that it is essential to keep your calm at this time.
Don’t make the mistake of lashing out or yelling on your pup or physically threatening the dog as that may lead the Chihuahua to think that you are fighting for the alpha position. Don’t lock your dog in a room as a punishment; instead use it as an opportunity to correct help him understand the right behaviors.
Socialize your Chihuahua
Many dog-parents may not be aware of the fact that fear is a primary cause of aggression in dogs. They act out when they meet new people or encounter new experiences that they aren’t accustomed to.
Therefore it is crucial to socialize your pup from a young age to help him get over the fear of the unknown. Make sure you take him out and walk him around the block, don’t just carry him yourself.
Instead let your little monster explore the world. Let your Chihuahua meet other dogs, people and ensure that all experiences are positive, so your pup becomes aware of the fact that new sounds and sights are meant to be fun.
Help Your Pup Realize who the Leader is
A common reason behind canine aggression is that Chihuahuas consider themselves the pack leaders and therefore don’t respect and obey your commands.
You might have seen your pup growling when you try to take away a toy or touch his food bowls. This is because they consider it upon themselves as the leader to guard and protect their belongings and gradually the habit may lead to the onset of other aggressive behaviors.
So what might be the solution to this problem? It is teaching your dog who the leader is and how do you claim your leadership? The best way is by using “food.”
As soon as your chi realizes that you are the one who makes the decision of giving out food, he will know who the leader is and will begin respecting your position. To train your dog, make it a habit only of giving out the delicious dog food after you chi obeys the sit command and waits for his meal.
Build Rules
Dogs need structure in their lives, and for that, you need to set house rules. Don’t let your dog dominate as the habit may gradually turn into aggression. The key is to make a firm decision and stick to it.
You can decide these rules according to your preferences, when the food should be given, what furniture your chi is allowed on, what possessions belong to them, and when is playtime. Be firm and consistent with these rules without being harsh on your dog. Use positive reinforcement techniques to make your dog understand and respect the boundaries.
Training is Essential
Teaching your dog basic commands and cues is necessary. Although this may be difficult with aggressive dogs, which see themselves as the alpha, with consistent effort you will be able to succeed. Even if your chihuahua has already been through obedience training, a recall session each day will still be useful.
Commands such as sit, stay and come are beneficial as these will aid in stopping him from attacking or threatening any stranger. Training your canine to walk on a leash is also crucial as it will help establish you as the alpha and enable your chi to understand how to respond in acceptable ways.
Reward Positive Behavior
Whenever your chi obeys a command or stops growling and snapping over something that he previously used to, praise and reward him with treats. Whenever your dog begins to display aggression, you must command him to stop and when he obeys make it a point to reward your chihuahua with treats.
You may have to act firm when your Chihuahua doesn’t comply to the commands, you don’t have to be too hard on him but be sure to get the message through.
AUTHOR BIO:
Jenny Perkins is an Animal Behavior Specialist and a passionate writer. She loves to write about the nutrition, health, and care of dogs. She aims at providing tips to dog owners that can help them become better pet parents. She writes for the blog Here Pup.
Using food as a reward and treat to encourage your chi to look at you as a leader is a good idea, but it can become a GREAT IDEA AND TEACHING TOOL if you take the time to understand how dogs know their place in the pack. When a pack is eating, say at a kill, (yes, you chi isn’t out killing deer, but their instinctive enforcing of the pack hierarchy is the same) every single member of the pack knows whether they can join in the feeding by the smell of saliva on the meat. As long as a superior member has taken some of the kill and has left his saliva on the meat, the next member down the line knows that he can join in the kill. Watch videos, a pack member who is lower tries to horn in and eat, and raise his status in the pack…the animals higher in the pack will quickly and viciously correct him, letting him know to wait his turn. In order to enforce who is the leader of the pack, there are 2 things you must ALWAYS DO RELIGIOUSLY. #1 establish yourself as the Alpha, no nonsense leader. and #2 As leader you must NEVER, no matter how intentionally, change the order of the pack hierarchy. How do I know what I’m talking about? I currently have 15 rescue dogs of various sizes and breeds, most who were so broken and abused, that getting them adopted safely was out of the question. There are no fights, they eat with no attempting to guard food, they have the choice of sleeping together or going to beds placed in out of the way, quiet places…each has their own spot. When handing out treats, I NEVER CHANGE THE ORDER THAT I HAND OUT TREATS IN. To do so would encourage a fight for different placement in the pack. By greeting them in order, giving them treats in order, I, as alpha, am reinforcing their place in the pack and my place as leader. When I give them a treat, or feed them, I ALWAYS, ALWAYS, SPIT ON THE FOOD OR TREAT. Now I don’t mean hock a lugey…I mean a simple spit…why? I as leader had MY SHARE FIRST and am now giving them their treat. Same with the food, I as the Alpha have “hunted” and provided food for my pack. Since I am secure in my role, they are more than happy to be Omega dogs. The only time a dog will challenge you is if they are not secure in your roll as Alpha…an Alpha is secure, calm, fair, and makes his pack feel safe. He is CONSISTENT in his actions…they are allowed on the couch or not, but make up your mind and stick to it. Get your dogs SPAYED OR NEUTERED, as Omegas, breeding should not be part of their makeup…that is reserved for the Alpha and Beta. If you have a family situation, whoever spends the most time with the dogs should be the Alpha, the spouse, the Beta and every single child, IN ORDER, ahead of the dogs. A friend had a problem with her dogs respecting her and her husband, but not her two children. I began by having her and her hubby spit on the food, then the two children were given the dog bowl, the dogs had to sit and the children spat into the bowl..then the bowl was put on the floor and the whole family said OK. Within 2 weeks, the dogs were no longer crowding the children or attempting to take food from them forcefully. They didn’t jump on them and began to listen to commands from the children, such as sit. Dogs are wonderful, loving creatures that are eager to please, that is in their genetic makeup. But you must learn to SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE! If I met you on the street and was able to say your name, but the rest of my encounter with you was in gibberish, or Chinese or any other language, would you know what I was telling you to do? No? You would be confused, with no clue as what I was asking of you. Well, that’s how your dog feels. Yes, repetitive commands, with reinforcement are learned, but as you know, it takes time and patience. Once your pack looks to you as the leader, they can relax, secure in the knowledge that as a strong Alpha, you will defend their territory, keep away intruders and provide food and a secure den.
Thanks for your insight Nina. Great points.
Thanks that’s very informative
I have NEVER read such a great reply what you said definitely applies to me and my 4 month old BULLY. I would never have thought she would turn so quickly on the 13 yr old foxhound who is so gentle and being used as a stepping stone to the couch…….what you makes such good sense. She is my 3rd rescue of chi’s……but by far she thinks she’s the BOSS.
Thanks for the advice…..I will certainly get right into it.
oh, by the way, she wasn’t like that when I bought her in Pa. But now has become extremely aggressive when she gets treat, it totally took me off guard, i’ve never had an aggressive pup. I will give her something to chew on and the aggression has really come to the forfront just didn’t expect that…she’s a sweetie in every other way……..
Thanks for your advice, I just hope it works for me. I have two half breed chihuahuas and one of them is 13 plus. He can be quite aggressive when I go to touch him. He used to be the best dog ever for being able to touch him anywhere, even the vet was extremely impressed with him but within the last 3 ir 4 years my dog has become aggressive and I haven’t been able to make him stop biting me when I have to work on him. I am going to take your advice to heart and see what happens.
If he has become aggressive as he has gotten older, he might be helped by daily doses of CBD oil. I have been giving it to my elderly border collie since she has gotten very nervous and anxious as she has aged and it has helped her get back to her old sweet self.
The stuff isn’t cheap but you don’t need to use much and it’s worked better than anything else I have tried.
@Cathy,
What cbd oil do you recommend??
I like King Kanine and used it on my elderly large dog before she passed. It seemed to help her dementia and her pain too. Here’s a link for the kind you would use for a small dog.
This was really help full
I’m so glad you found it helpful Danica!
Cathy, thanks for telling us about the CBD oil. My sweet William has a very bad temper. He WILL NOT wear a sweater, he WILL NOT allow me to put his color on him. I have had him since he was 4 weeks old and we have loved him and kept him safe for close to 3 years but he still seems to be on the lookout for something that is going to tick him off. He has the sweetest little beautiful face but he has a lot of spit behind it. I am going to try the oil and will let you know if it helps.
He does look too sweet to be such a little terror Dixie. LOL
We have a 6 month old chi and we rescued him at 10 weeks. He is very aggressive around us bed and food. He recently has gotten worse for no reason. He seems to be more attached to me but we got him for my 10 year old daughter. He has snapped at her more than once. For no reason at all, he is set off. Sometimes he’s just sitting there and she goes to pick him up and he attacks her. What can I do? My husband is threatening to return him because he is worried she will get bit in the face.
Pleas help!
Yeah this is something you need to nip in the bud before it gets worse. He’s freaking adorable!
He needs a good training program and your daughter should be the main one to go through it with him. He needs to see her as the alpha. I know you can’t go to a training program currently, but there are programs you can buy online.
@Cathy,
My husband and i got a 7 month old chihuahua a week ago. My husband was home with her the first day and since then she’s barks and bites me or the kids or anyone that tries to come close to him. We need help. What is a good online program That i could purchase to help train her?
I’ve heard this one is good: https://chihuahuasavvy.com/1/chihuahua-savvy/
Well we have had Mikie 10 days now, His history is traumatic, I suspect abusive and he’s been returned to a shelter from 2 adoptive homes because of his quirkiness. His trust has increased significantly of both myself and husband. He is more selective now about which people and other dogs. We have had 2 very traumatic visits to the vet, the latter one with pre-medication. Unfortunately during this Corona pandemic, dog parents are not permitted to come into the building with their pets, but hand them over to a technician at the door. He will only permit touch on his terms. Once confident/secure he enjoys petting, rubs, and lap massages. Mikie loves walk/runs and car rides. My heart breaks for his experience of trauma. Planning to try vet exam again next week with different pre-medication.
Oh wow, that is rough. I know my dogs don’t have issues but I hated having to hand them over at the vet’s office a few weeks ago and not be able to go in with them. So I can imagine how hard it is for you with Mikie.
Mikie is 3+ years old…
So we have four chihuahuas at home of ages 7/6/5/3 we’ve had them since they were month olds but never trained them so they’re all pretty aggressive and in the past few years have stopped getting along at all so we have to keep them seperated, how should one go about training them in this late stage with all of them together, please help.
I think at this point, with 4 of them to deal with, you are going to need the help of a professional trainer.
I have a 9 year old Chi that needs training from aggression. Unfortunately, he grew up in a home where the his training was not consistent. He is aggressive to new people and to passerby’s. Now that the person that would get on board with the training is gone, where do I begin or is it too late?
thank your this information. We are a multi dog family. I adore my chihuahua puppy. We have had her for almost a year. She is so much fun but she does what she wants when she wants including potty habits. I just replaced all my tile floor so cannot have this going on. I also have a Pekinese- very passive. a few months ago i started putting both of them in separate cages at night and when i will be gone. – no problem until a week ago when i tell the chihuahua to go in the cage if she wants to she will (sometimes even goes in on at other times)but now if she does not want to she jumps on the couch and lays on her back. when i try to pick her up, she growls and has nipped at me.
any suggestions?
Is there a treat she really loves? If not get liver training treats. You can get them at most pet stores or Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3wnJ1Mn It’s like dog crack and very hard to resist. They stink though. Throw a few of those in her crate to encourage her to get in there. Then give your peek a few too for being such a good dog and praise him/her too since you didn’t have to force them in.
I have a very aggressive chi. She is a sweet as can be to my husband and I.But anytime anyone walks in we have to put her in her crate cuz she will bite. She will bark,growl and snarl the whole time , very annoying. I did not raise her from a puppy, I rescued her from an individual who didn’t want her anymore. I don’t know how she was treated but we give her nothing but love. HELP please !! Don’t know what to do !! She is about 2 years old and I’ve had her almost a year.
She is protecting her property (you and your hubby). This could be caused by fear of abandonment, considering she was abandoned before. You really need a dog behaviorist for this.
Help! My husband and I recently moved into our motorhome with our two chis – ages 7 and 3. The 7 year old has always been jealous of the 3 year old. For the past two weeks, from the time they get up until they go to bed, they are physically fighting. We are having to constantly separate them throughout the day. Does the move have something to do with this? The 3 year old has been very passive but now she is growling, showing her teeth and fighting with the 7 year old. What should I do?
If it started once you moved into the motorhome, I’d definitely say that’s what started it. I don’t know what to do about it. Want me to ask on our Facebook page?
I have been hunting a small Chihuahua for months everything I can find is really expensive I am unable to pay $1000.00 or higher I lost my baby 2 months ago and I need a new baby to love I liv3e in Maryland and I am willing to travel give me a call 443-205-4924
@Theresa Lewis, so many needing homes here, many babies too.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/465014957013331/?ref=share&mibextid=S66gvF
I have Nike and Chanel, 3 years old, litter mates, the make, Nike was pretty bossy and he was able to learn to “Be Gen-tle” when spoken to in a calm precise manner. Dont tell your Chi what not to do. Tell them what you want them to do. When my dogs get a little bossy with each other, they hear my soft clear voice say Be Gen Tell and they settle right down every time. They are such good buddies. So glad I did decide to have 2 Chi’s.
Great tip Jane!
Chihuahuas are very stubborn, but very smart and active dogs! When you combine a very small dog with a strong prey drive and seemingly endless energy, you can quickly end up with a nervous dog that lashes out defensively at any perceived threat without proper care. And when that dog is the size of a lunch box, most things are seen as threats!
Tuckering them out with regular play is an important way to manage their energy, and many chihuahuas thrive on things like agility training! Training is also crucial like with any dog, and smaller dogs in particular I feel benefit greatly from crate training! Giving your dog a smaller space that is just there’s that they can retreat to any time they feel uneasy is a great way to deal with anxiety or homes with kids/other dogs!
And while I’m incredibly hesitant to adhere to any form of the Alpha theory, considering that study was disproven many times over, I will agree that establishing yourself as a trustworthy caregiver is one of the most important things! Providing regular routine and structure is great for any dog, but in Chihuahuas respecting their space and autonomy is critical! Many behavioral problems in chihuahuas come from people not respecting them or their space, so if you respect that many behavior risks are curved already!
Chihuahuas are amazing dogs, and as long as you keep in mind their small size and breed traits, they make great pets for highly active owners!
Good points Jean
I have 2 year old Chi. Brought him home at 5 weeks old. He was a Birthday gift from my Husband. Spends 80 percent of his time with me. He adores my husband. Very loveable to my Husband. Totally ignores me. I can’t pet him or put his leash on him. Or even touch my Husband. He growls,shows his teeth,barks.Nips,bites,charges at me. However he can and will love on me. Or want attention from me. When my Husband is here. Only on his terms. When my Husband travels. He listens to me. Is less aggressive.He goes everywhere I go. He won’t let anyone near me. Doesn’t want want anyone to touch him. When he is out with my Husband. He lets people touch him. And pet him. Doesn’t want Anyone to touch my Husband. I can’t even kiss my Husband. He tries to bite me. Once my Husband returns home. He is aggressive to me. Please help. He is such a sweet little pup.He is so darn cute.
This is a typical chihuahua behavior. He is resource-guarding your husband. Normally I would say for you to all the feeding, playing, walking, etc. to get him to bond with you too but it looks like he is bonded with you when your husband isn’t there. You may need to see a behaviorist to work this out but here’s a video to get you started: https://youtu.be/xycTddRp_p0
Hi, our chi aggressively attacks the TV and it’s usually because of an animal, but also people. The other issue for training is he is not food motivated. How should we react when he attacks the TV? Try a sit stay? Thank you, Heidi
Yes I’d try sit/stay or any distraction. One distraction you can use is fill a small soda can half full with pennies or rocks and tape the top shut. When he starts attacking, shake the can. The noise is a distraction.
Is he toy motivated? It’s hard when they aren’t food motivated.
I rescued a five-year-old female Chihuahua, whose original owner passed away in September 2022. This baby, who previously had run of the house, little discipline and was not potty trained, was placed in a dog crate from September 14 until December 30, when she came to live with me. She had extremely limited time outside the crate. Additionally, she has never been outdoors.
Lily was frightened and traumatized. When first released from the crate she went ballistic. Took nearly an hour to capture her. Couldn’t give her freedom in the house because of no potty training. So, built her an indoor run in the living room. She can interact with Mr. Dewey, my other dog and still be contained. Lily is now trained to potty pads. Her diet has been adjusted; she only ate steak with her original owner.
Lily has now been to the vet and started on heartworm and flea and tick meds. I want to introduce her to the outside world. She has bonded with me. Loves to be cuddled. It’s time for training but, she’s very aggressive when I attempt to put on a harness. She growls, attempts to get away and attempts to bite. I’m slightly embarrassed to admit 4.2 lb Lily defeated attempts by two of us to put a harness on her.
Would appreciate any information to help the situation. Want to do my best to help her adjust.
I was going to give you the steps of what to do but this video explains it better than I can. Of course it will probably take you a while to get to the point of where she is okay with the harness but if you work on it every day it will happen.
Here’s the link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn5b8u1YS_g
My chi x jack Russell is aggressive towards people ,good with us and our other four dogs ,two Staffies and two Chorkies .but a little devil with other people. Tried to get her attention with treats etc . She is 8 months old we had her at 10 weeks old ,Any suggestions please .
She needs more socialization. I would recommend puppy classes for her where she will be around different people and dogs.
i have 2 chihuahuas one male and female. the male is the younger one and acts aggressive towards the other and will fight with her but than other times they are pals. if anyone trys to put a collar or lead on him he will bite and throw a fit. i have been laying out a leash on floor and getting him to come up to it for treats and would praise him, but haven’t tried to put it on him. both sleep in bed with us and whenever she would move he would start growling and we would stop him but i just am at a loss on what to do, my wife is just wanting to give up on him but i won’t. going to vet is hard even with giving him medicine to calm him we still have to get a muzzle on him. i want to try to find a trainer to take him to but haven’t found anyone. also with my wife he has recently started being afraid to be around her like in bed if she comes near me he will hurry to get under covers and lay up against my stomach like he does every night in bed
It sounds like he needs a dog behaviorist. They help with problem dogs like this.